Madonna has always been a pioneer when it comes to touring, since her first steps with Virgin Tour in 1985 and the Who’s That Girl World Tour in 1987. His ability to transform shows into true experimental laboratories was evident in the revolutionary Blond Ambition World Tour from 1990, which introduced theatrical elements and an immersion that transcended conventional live performances.
With each new tour — 12 in total — the queen of pop has pushed her own limits, integrating technology to create multimedia performances that stimulate all the senses. A Sticky & Sweet Tourfollowing her induction into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2008, became the highest-grossing tour by a female artist in history, a record she held until 2023, when it was surpassed by Renaissance Tour by Beyoncé, according to Billboard.
Owner of a long career, Madonna shows no signs of slowing down. Their latest tour, the Celebration Tour, will culminate with a historic free show on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, next Saturday (05/04). Broadcast live on TV Globo, the concert will probably feature the pop star’s biggest audience to date, marking more than 40 years of reigning on the music scene.
In celebration of this moment, Vogue Brasil lists six tours that marked the history of pop. Check it out below:
Blond Ambition World Tour (1990)
With its elaborate costumes courtesy of French designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, Broadway-style sets designed by Madonna’s brother, Christopher Cicconeand an almost theatrical narrative arc, the Blond Ambition Tour is the model, the mother of modern pop shows. The show saw Madonna infamously free herself from the guilt of her Catholic upbringing. The ‘Religious’ segment, which began with the singer simulating masturbation and ended with her facing judgment from the male authority figures in her life, is among the most boldly conceived and impeccably executed moments in touring history.
Re-Invention World Tour (2004)
After the commercial failure of his album American Life In 2003, Madonna returned to the place where she always stood out: the stage. A Re-Invention Tour It didn’t bring anything that she hadn’t done before, or wouldn’t do better in the future, but for the first time in years, she was embracing her past. Energetic performances of old hits like “Burning Up” and “Material Girl” with an electric guitar in hand, and even reinventing some fan favorites like “Hanky Panky” and “Deeper and Deeper.” As for the queen herself, she was in top shape, both vocally and physically.
Confessions Tour (2006)
A Confessions Tour marked the high point of Madonna’s learning since Blonde Ambition to the Re-Invention, combining spectacle, drama and genuine performance talent. Like her 2005 Grammy-winning self-titled album, the show struck a deft balance between dance party and intimate reflection. Madonna’s 2000 hit song, “Music“, was transformed into a roller-disco fantasy, while a striking rendition of “Live to Tell” saw her suspended from a gigantic cross, highlighting the fight against AIDS in Africa.
Sticky & Sweet Tour (2008-2009)
Despite a first act that did not quite meet the high standards previously set by Madonna, the Sticky & Sweet Tour ended up finding his rhythm and shine. Following her induction into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2008, the set of shows became the highest-grossing tour by a female artist in history, a record she held until 2023. The segments Gypsy It is Rave, in particular, stood out as memorable moments from the show. An electrifying interpretation of La Isla Bonita with the Ukrainian group Kolpakov Trio brought infectious energy, while a heavy metal version of Hung Upculminating with the pop star playing guitar in A New Level of Pantherleft the audience ecstatic.
Rebel Heart Tour (2015-2016)
A Rebel Heart Tour, a mix of Cirque du Soleil, Broadway and burlesque, featured dancers on 10-foot-tall stilts, dressed as nuns on stripper poles and gliding past giant LED screens. Madonna, for her part, proved to be more comfortable on stage than ever, playing the coquettish singer à la Blonde Ambition and playing the ukulele in TrueBlue — the first time she’s performed the song in nearly three decades. With a selection of hits that rivaled any tour since Re-Invention, Rebel Heart included a Latin medley of classics like Dress You Up, Into the Groove It is Lucky Staras well as a modern version of Material Girl.
The Celebration Tour (2023-2024)
Madonna’s latest tour is a living testament to the legend fully embracing her legacy. Without a new album to promote, the setlist is full of iconic songs – some of them unreleased on their tours, such as Bedtime Story and Bad Girl – so many that more than a dozen of his 28 top 5 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 had to be left out. A Celebration Tour is a musical journey through the life and career of the queen of pop, from her rising days in New York to her defining moments, the negative media reviews of the 1990s, and her spiritual rebirth.
